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"I’ve been assule I just realized no one had ever really said asa survey," she said tartly "What did you want?"

I find it so liberating when other people are rude It makes me feel mild and lazy and mean I smiled at her "I found Bobbys address book"

"Why tell me?"

"I was curious about your relationship with him"

"I didn’t have a relationship with hi Of course I knew him He was Glen’s only child and she and I are best friends and have been for years Aside from that, Bobby and I didn’t have that much to say to one another"

"Why’d you need to meet him down at the beach, then?"

"I never ’met’ Bobby at the beach," she snapped

"Somebody saw you with him on more than one occasion"

She hesitated "Maybe I ran into hi with that? I used to see him at the hospital, too"

"I wondered what you talked about, that’s all"

"I’s," she said I could see her shifting gears, trying another tack Some of the huffiness dropped away She’d apparently decided to roll out the charm "God, I don’t knohat’s theas you’re here, you ht as well sit down I have wine chilled if you want some"

"I’d like that Thanks"

She left the rooured out how to cover her tracks For hted with the opportunity to nose around I crossed in haste to the easy chair, checking the table beside it The top was littered with things I didn’t want to touch I eased the drawer open The interior looked like a catchall for household fallout Batteries, candles, an extension cord, receipts, rubber bands, packets ofkit, pencils, junk un- all of it surrounded by accu the chair cushion and came up with a nickel, which I left there I heard the chirp of a wine cork in the kitchen and the tinkle of wineglasses as she reether as she moved back toward the TV room I abandoned my search and perchedto think of so nice to say about her house, but I was secretly worried aboutout of date This was the kind of place if you had to use the John, you’d want to put paper down on the seat "Quite a house," I re lady comes tomorrow," she said "Not that she does much She worked for my parents for years and I don’t have the heart to let her go" "Do they live with you?" She shook her head "Dead Cancer" "Both of the So lass of wine and handed it to me I could tell from the label, it was the saot into the boxed brand with the picture of a phony-looking vineyard on the front Clearly, neither of us had the budget or the palate for anything decent

She settled into the easy chair, wineglass in hand The change in her ood one while she was gone

She took a sip of wine, staring at lass "Have you talked to Derek lately?" she asked "He stopped by ot back fros and put theed the locks" "My, ht that on"

"You’d be smart to talk to him before you worry aboutBobby I didn’t, if that’s what you’re getting at"

"Whatto?"

"Glen discovered he’d taken out a big life-insurance policy on Bobby eighteen lass tipped and wine slopped out on uise the fact that I was startled, but I didn’t like the s look that crossed her face in response

"Oh yes The insurance company tracked her down to ask for a copy of the death certificate I guess the agent read about Bobby in the paper and remembered the name That’s how Glen found out"